Minority-dominated juries – particularly in The Bronx – are known to be more liberal and pro-defendant.

Gotti is charged with scheming to rub out mob turncoast Salvatore “Sammy Bull” Gravano and shaking down construction contractors.

Opening arguments begin on Monday.

Carbonaro is also charged with participating in the murders of suspected snitch Frank Hydell and Gambino associate Edward Garofalo.

Selecting the jury was an arduous task. It took a week for Casey to select 12 jurors and six alternates after 205 candidates filled out a detailed 70-page questionnaire requested by defense lawyers to help find fair, unbiased jurors.

More than 100 of the candidates were interviewed. Afterwards, the pool was reduced to 55.

Casey yesterday randomly cut the list of candidates to 28, and the final 16 were chosen following challenges by both defense lawyers and prosecutors.